Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is on paper
boosting the dollar amount it will pay fighters under its
outfitting policy, but fighters should read the fine print
first. The promotion announced through
ESPN on Thursday that the Venum outfitter arrangement has
commenced effective April 1, with Reebok relegated exclusively to
footwear with the UFC going forward. The first official use of the
Venum gear and fight kits will take place at UFC
on ABC 2 on April 10, which is still in search for a
replacement headliner after Darren Till
broke his collarbone.
Per UFC senior executive vice president and chief operating officer
Lawrence Epstein, the promotion will be boosting the total pay for
athletes by approximately $1 million. Fighters in every tier of UFC
experience will be paid more compared to their amounts from 2017.
UFC newcomers, those with one to three bouts, will now be paid
$4,000 compared to their previous $3,500. Champs and challengers
will get a slight bump of $2,000 from their previous amounts, as
well. According to ESPN, the Venum deal does not pay as much as
Reebok’s $70 million, six-year contract did, while specifying that
the new partnership will last around three years. When adjusted for
inflation, as reviewed by Bloody
Elbow, the boost is actually a relative decrease in pay.
Fighters will still be allowed to partner with other sponsors
cleared by the UFC, like Monster Energy, and can make arrangements
with outside vendors for anything involving “non-fight-week related
stuff.” The same set of requirements are in place from Reebok to
Venum, other than one small but noteworthy change. Athletes will
now be required to check in and submit their mouthpieces for
review, per
MMA Fighting. The athletes will not be allowed to wear
mouthguards that display other logos or non-UFC trademarks, but
they can use those that show names, country flags and other designs
that the UFC approves.
The breakdown of every tier reads as follows:
1-3 Bouts: $4,000
4-5 Bouts: $4,500
6-10 Bouts: $6,000
11-15 Bouts: $11,000
16-20 Bouts: $16,000
21+ Bouts: $21,000
Title Challenger: $32,000
Champion: $42,000
